MORGANTOWN — WVU’s defensive line is in rebuilding mode entering 2023 after losing three starters from last season.
Defensive tackle Dante Stills graduated and was taken in the NFL Draft while nose tackle Jordan Jefferson and defensive endTaijh Alston both transferred away this offseason. Jefferson landed at LSU while Alston went to Colorado.
Sean Martin, a junior defensive end from Bluefield, W.Va., is expected to take over for Stills both as the leader of WVU’s defensive front and as an impactful in-state product.
“Replacing that talent is hard,” defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley said of losing Stills. “The sum of the parts has got to be greater than maybe one person. That may be how we’re built. Dante is a unique combination of size, speed and power and that’s hard to find, really hard to find. We’ve got some guys who are really good football players that are built differently and so we have to figure out the best way to use them to get the production that we need.”
Martin, who measures in at 6-foot-5 and 291 pounds, may lack some of Stills’ speed and quickness but makes up for it with length and power.
“Sean is extremely talented, he’s just different than Dante,’ Lesley said. “He’s just a different type of player, but he’s the one we’re going to look at as say this is our guy. He’s just a different style of athlete and talent than Dante. But if there’s one we’re going to lean on, it’s going to be Sean.”
Martin earned his first major role in the defense last season as he started eight games and recorded eight tackles for loss and four sacks, both second-most on the team.
“Sean’s biggest growth is his consistency,” defensive line coach Andrew Jackson said. “I think he’s taken a step from beating a guy out to earn a role to being a guy we’re going to rely on.
“I don’t think he’s afraid to be the biggest guy in the room or be the strongest guy. I don’t think he’s afraid to hurt anybody.”
The three positions along WVU’s front are defensive end, where Martin will play, defensive tackle and nose tackle. Backing up Martin at end will be redshirt-freshman Asani Redwood, who missed spring practices with an injury, and redshirt-freshman Tomiwa Durojaiye, who transferred in from Kentucky this offseason.
While Martin will take over at end, the Mountaineers will turn to a group of up-and-coming players at the other two spots.
Nose tackle will be manned by some combination of redshirt-junior Mike Lockhart, redshirt-sophomoe Hammond Russel IV and Penn State transfer Fatorma Mulbah.
“We need them,” head coach Neal Brown said of Lockhart and Russell. “They’re probably as integral for us as anybody on either side (of the ball) as far as needing to make a jump this spring, and they have.”
Neither Lockhart, who was out of shape after transferring from Georgia Tech, or Russel, who dealt with injuries, played a major role for WVU last season, but they, and Mulhah, will be looked to as keystones for the defense in 2023.
“Both of them have ability,” Brown said. “It starts with ability and they both have it, they’ve both worked hard on their conditioning. Both of them are tall, but they have the ability to play low. Both are talented, they use their hands well and they’re doing a better job versus double teams.”
Mulbah, a redshirt-junior, played primarily on special teams for the Nittany Lions.
At defensive tackle, the team is hoping for a jump from European product Edward Vesterinen. A junior from Finland, the 284-pound Vesterinen is expected to open 2023 as the starter after racking up 2.5 tackles for loss in a depth role last season. His primary backup with be redshirt-junior Jalen Thornton.
Tennessee State transfer Davoan Hawkins adds experience to the group as he enters his seventh season of college football. He spent three seasons at Kentucky and three at Tennessee State before coming to WVU.
Charleston native Zeiqui Lawton could factor into the defensive line rotation, but he missed all of spring practice with an injury. True freshman Corey McIntyre Jr. will provide depth as well.
Projected Depth Chart
Defensive Tackle
Edward Vesterinen, Jr.
Jalen Thornton, R-Jr.
Davoan Hawkins, 5th (Tennessee State)
Zeiqui Lawton, R-So.
Nose Tackle
Mike Lockhart, R-Jr.
Hammond Russell IV, R-So.
Fatorma Mulbah, R-Jr. (Penn State)
Corey McIntyre Jr, Fr.
Defensive End
Sean Martin, Jr.
Asani Redwood, R-Fr.
Tomiwa Durojaiye, R-Fr. (Kentucky)
The Dominion Post will be previewing WVU football by position in the lead-up to the 2023 season. Previews of offensive positions will be published on Saturdays and defensive position previews on Sundays throughout the summer.
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